Thank you for your interest in visiting the Japanese Friendship Garden.

Students will have the opportunity to learn about the history of the Japanese Friendship Garden, as well as Japanese gardening principles and techniques.

Please read the policies outlined below prior to submitting a field trip request.

Submitting a Request for a Field Trip

• Please submit a request at least four weeks prior to the requested field trip date. Schools and Academies are required to fill out a form to be considered for a field trip.

• Once your request has been received, please allow one week for volunteer docent or instructor recruitment. If you haven’t heard from us in a week, please feel free to contact us. Please note, an activity or docent-led tour may not be available at requested date.

• After your field trip has been tentatively confirmed, an invoice for payment will be sent to finalized your scheduled activity. Payments for programs and kits are due within a week before the scheduled trip.

• Once finalized, a reminder will be sent out a week before the trip. Looking forward to seeing you!

Field trips unavailable March 10th-16th in observance of our annual Cherry Blossom Festival

Japanese Friendship Garden Field Trip Policies

• Please submit a request at least four weeks prior to the requested field trip.

• Activities requiring payment must be paid in full a week before the field trip. Failure to do so will result in cancellation.

• Maximum number of guests on a docent-led tour is 20. Please note, if there’s more than 10, the group will be split in 2, due to narrow paths and small spaces throughout the garden

Tours are subject to docent availability. Thank you for your understanding.

Garden Arrival

• Please plan to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start of your tour. If your group is larger than 10 people, it will be necessary to separate the large group into smaller sub-groups. Please designate groups/chaperones prior to your arrival to the garden. For those is groups of 50 or more, we recommend having groups do museum rotations.

School Chaperones

• For student groups, we require 1 chaperone for every 15 students (students grade 2+); student groups of TK-1st grade, we require one chaperone for every 10 students.

Cancellation Policy

• Out of consideration for our volunteers, instructors, and staff, a minimum cancellation notice of 48 hours is required. Please contact the Education & Programs Coordinator at education@niwa.org as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in losing payment for scheduled activities or take-home kits.

FAQS

• How far in advance must I put in a field trip?

  • Requests are required to be submitted at least 4 weeks in advance. Please note if requests are submitted in less than 4 weeks, we will not be able to schedule requested activities.

• How much is it for field trip admission?

  • Students are $14; Adults including teachers and/or chaperones are $16. Schools with proof of Title 1 Status** may be eligible for waived entry. Waived entry does not include any requested programs. Filling out the field trip form is required to in ordered to be considered for waived entry. At the door entry will not be accepted.

** K-12 Schools within San Diego County may be eligible for waived entry.

• How do I pay for admission?

  • Payment for admission tickets can be done either online, or at the door. Payment for admission over the phone is unavailable.

• How do I pay for scheduled activities?

  • Once an invoice has been sent, payment can be done over the phone.

• Can I allow my students to split off on their own in groups?

  • Students are required to be under adult supervision at all times. We ask schools to go over the garden etiquette with students to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience. Please note, failure to follow garden etiquette may result in being asked to leave the garden without refund, as well as being barred from future field trips.

• Do you have field trips available for universities?

  • Any college and university inquiries can sent to education@niwa.org.

For additional questions or concerns, please contact:

Alexandria Horn
Education & Programs Coordinator
education@niwa.org
(619)232-2721 x 1511